UNRIC Library Newsletter - July 2009

UN in General

62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference "For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!" - Mexico City, Mexico, 9-11 September 2009English & Spanish: http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/conference/
The Conference is the premier NGO event of the year, attracting 2,000 NGO representatives from 90 countries, organized in partnership with the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs and the Government of Mexico.

Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development: Outcome DocumentEnglish, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/63/303
The Outcome of the Conference on the World Financial and Economic
Crisis and Its Impact on Development as it was adopted by the General
Assembly is now available as an annex to General Assembly resolution
63/303.

ECOSOC Innovation Fairhttp://esango.un.org/innovationfair/
The Innovation Fair in 2009, held during the high-level segment of the annual substantive session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is designed to showcase innovative projects and practices in the area of global public health by a wide range of stakeholders in support of successful global public health activities.

General Assembly 64th session - Provisional agenda (A/64/150)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/64/150
The provisional agenda for the 64th session of the General Assembly had been issued (A/64/150). The session will begin on Tuesday, 15 September 2009 and the general debate is scheduled to be held from 22 September to 2 October 2009.

Todo lo que siempre has querido saber sobre las Naciones Unidas: Para estudiantes de nivel intermedio y secundariohttp://www.unic.org.ar/mat-didactico/todosobreONU(1).pdf
Produced by UNIC Buenos Aires, Spanish version of “Everything You Always Wanted to Know about the UN: For Students at Intermediate and Secondary level”.

Peace and Security

New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for UN Peacekeepinghttp://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/newhorizon.pdf
This internal “non-paper” prepared by the by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS) reflects the departments’ analysis and outlines a number of crucial recommendations for the future of peacekeeping operations.

Report of the Secretary-General on peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict (A/63/881-S/2009/304)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/63/881
The report is submitted, after consultations with the Peacebuilding Commission, following the Security Council invitation (S/PRST/2008/16) to provide advice on how to support national efforts to secure sustainable peace more rapidly and effectively. The immediate aftermath of conflict, defined as the first two years after the main conflict in a country has ended, "offers a window of opportunity to provide basic security, deliver peace dividends, shore up and build confidence in the political process, and strengthen core national capacity to lead peacebuilding efforts thereby beginning to lay the foundations for sustainable development."

Report of the Security Council mission to the African Union; Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Liberia (S/2009/303)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2009/303
The report of the Security Council mission to Africa from 14-21 May 2009 has been issued (S/2009/303). The report has 3 sections covering the Council's visits to the African Union; Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Liberia. Each section ends with specific recommendations to the Security Council, the parties involved and the international community.

Fiduciary Responsibility - Legal and Practical Aspects of Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance Issues into Institutional Investment (UNEP)http://www.unepfi.org/fileadmin/documents/fiduciaryII.pdf
‘Green’ investments are no longer just a luxury, but are now a legal responsibility, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and a powerful group of asset managers controlling some $2 trillion in assets.

The Global Economic Crisis and HIV Prevention and Treatment Programmes: Vulnerabilities and Impact (UNAIDS / World Bank)http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2009/jc1704_econcrisis_hivresponse_en.pdf
The report looks at the potential impact of the global financial crisis on HIV prevention and treatment programmes worldwide. Using data collected in March 2009 from 71countries, the analysis looks at how the crisis could affect the nearly 4 million people living with HIV on treatment, and the 7 million who need treatment but don’t have access to it.

The Least Developed Countries Report 2009: The State and Development Governance (UNCTAD)Full report in English: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/webflyer.asp?docid=11721&intItemID=1397&lang=1&mode=downloadsOverview available in English, French & Spanish.
The world economic crisis, which has hit least developed countries (LDCs) severely, should be a point of departure for a new development approach in which the state plays a greater role, UNCTAD argues in its Least Developed Countries Report 2009. The crisis has laid bare the structural deficiencies of the globe´s 49 poorest nations and has demonstrated their inability to achieve long-term growth and poverty reduction, the study says. It contends that a re-consideration of the role of the state is necessary to overcome LDCs´ structural constraints and reduce their dependence on external support.

The Megacity Resilience Framework (UNU-EHS Policy Brief)http://www.ehs.unu.edu/file.php?id=631
More than half of the world's population lives in megacities. The United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) has prepared a policy brief providing policy recommendations on how to increase the resilience and sustainability of these cities.

UNFPA Repository on Population Dynamicshttp://www.unfpa.org/pds/climate/messages.html
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has created a repository for recent research and advocacy materials to foster understanding of links between population dynamics and climate change. The Repository provides information on several issues including Population Dynamics (age structure, household size, distribution), Urbanization, Gender, Vulnerability and adaptation, Migration or displacement, Reproductive Health.

Human Rights

Handbook on the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (IRC))http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/optional_protocol_eng.pdf
The publication describes the genesis, scope and content of the Protocol, and provides examples of measures taken by States Parties to fulfil their obligations under this instrument.

Silence is Violence: End the Abuse of Women in Afghanistan (UNAMA / OHCHR report)http://unama.unmissions.org/Portals/UNAMA/Press%20Releases/VAW%20Rpt%20FINAL%207%20July%2009.pdf
This new UN report on women in Afghanistan, describes the extensive and increasing level of violence directed at women taking part in public life, as well as the “widespread occurrence” of rape against a backdrop of institutional failure and impunity. The 32-page report, issued jointly by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), notes that “violence, in the public and private spheres, is an everyday occurrence in the lives of a huge proportion of Afghan women.”

United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women: Framework for Action; Programme of United Nations Activities and Expected Outcomes 2008-2015.
Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information. DPI/2529. February 2009. 12 p.
Online version: http://www.un.org/women/endviolence/pdf/Framework_booklet.pdf

Assessing the impact of the current financial and economic crisis on global FDI flows.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. April 2009. ix, 62 p. (UNCTAD/DIAE/IA/2009/3)
Online version: http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/diaeia20093_en.pdf

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